Adolescents’ Implicit Theories of Peer Relationships and Their School Adjustment

Abstract

This research examined the interplay between adolescents’ implicit theories about peer relationships and their academic adjustment; the mediating role of adolescents’ disclosure to parents and the moderating role of their victimization experience were evaluated. Five hundred and forty adolescents (253 girls; mean age = 13.5 years, SD = 0.67) reported on their incremental (vs. entity) views about peer relationships, disclosure to parents about their everyday activities, and their victimization experience in school. Grades were obtained from official school records. Adolescents who held heightened incremental views about peer relationships disclosed more to their parents—especially when they experienced victimization in school. Incremental views were associated with grades, regardless of victimization experience. The association between incremental views and grades was in part explained by adolescents’ disclosure to parents.